Valve structure



Dec. 19, 1939. E. G. sTEFFEN IVALVE STRUCTURE Filed MarQh 3, 1939 ArmRNEYs.

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of valve structures for gas stoves.

The type of valve structure now under consideration comprises inlet and outlet openings and in such valve structures heretofore it has been the practice to set the size of the discharge orifice which would then remain the same for all of the`l sizes of the variable inlet opening. With such structure and manner of operation, the reduction in the size of the inlet means a corresponding decrease in pressure between the inlet 'and outlet vand likewise a decreased velocity at the outlet crice. The result is a reduction in air entrainment and a sluggish llame lacking in heating A l5 eiiiciency.

In an attempt Vto improve this situation,v there have been devised valve structures with a plurality of discharge orifices of different sizes corresponding with the different positions of the inlet valve. But such a valve structure obviously involves considerable increase in cost.

The object of the present invention is todevise a valve structure in which the velocity of flow at the discharge orice may be varied without any reduction of pressure between the inlet and the discharge orice.

More specically, the object of the present invention entails the provision of an adjustable valve at the single discharge orice while maintaining a pressure between said inlet and outlet at least corresponding-with the degree of openand that entails only reasonable cost in manufacture. A

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

- Figure -1 is a sectional View of my improved valve structure;

Figure 2 is a view taken on ure 1;

line 2-2 of Figand accepted design of the valve 'body in general Figure 3 shows in elevation the panel with the several positions of the valve handle marked thereon; I

Figure 4 is an end velevation'of the valve structure itself with the handle removed;

Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1; l

Figure 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an elevation of the needle valve and its control member;

Figure 8 is an end view thereof; Figures 9 and 10 are viewsof the cam member; Figures 11 and 12 are views ofthe centralizer; Figures 13 and 14 are side elevations of the valve structure viewed at ninety degrees to each other. f

It is to be-understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for purposes of illustration and that there may be devised various modifications without ,departing from the spirit of' the present invention, 'as herein` set forth and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the valve body I has the inlet 2 and the rotatable plug valve 3 for 'controlling the flow therethrough. As will be observed from Figures 2 and 3, this valve is formed so as to provide three fully open positions and a closed position. The valve 3 is maintained in assembly by the coil spring 4. the outer end of which abuts against a latching washer 5 so as to resiliently hold the same against the cap 6 secured to the valve body I, byscrews I3, as indicated in Figures 13 and 14. The washer 5 is carried by the rotatable stem or shaft I4 of the valve and has -raised portions I5 adapted for engagement in corresponding radially extending slots I6 in the cap 6 so as to determine the several positions of the valve and to indicate the same by a clicking sound as these parts come into engagement with each other. These severaly positions are those indicated visually on the panel P in Figure 3.

The outlet end of the valve body I has the o-rice cap or hood 1 in screw threaded engagement with the reduced end portion thereof, the cap I having the discharge outlet or orifice I'I with which the needle valve 8 co-operates. 'I'he needle valve 8 is provided at its rear end with the at control member 9 diametrically thereof, and the member 9 is capable of straight-line, axial movement in diametrically disposed grooves I8 in the valve 3, as indicated in Figures 1 and 5. 'Ihus the valve 8 will turn with the valve 3 but will have axial, slidable movement relatively thereto, as will more fully appear below. Y

The control member 9 has its forward edge formed with the shoulder portion indicated at I9 for co-operation with the cam member which is mounted within the valve body 3 and through which the control member 9 extends. The control member 9 is held in operative engagement with the cam member I0 by the coil spring which bears at one end against a shoulder 35 formed in the axial bore 36 of the valve plug, and I have provided the centralizer open disk |2 in the oriiice cap 'l for the purpose of maintaining the movement of the .needle valve 8l along a straight line and centrally of the orifice As indicated in Figures 6 and 11, the centralizer |2, as here shown, has four prongs.

When my valve structure is installed, the cap i will be set with respect to the 'needle valve 3 so as to establish an orifice corresponding to low position of the ow control means. Thereafter there will be no adjustment of the cap 'l which thus remains in fixed position, but variations in the size of the orifice will thereafter be effected solely by rotation of the handle 20 for operating the valve 3. l

For instance, with the handle 20 occupying position marked off, there will be no fiow of gas through the valve; but when the handle is turned to high, or medium, the needle valve 3 will be automatically and simultaneously adjusted accordingly so as to vary the size of the orifice l1. However, the pressure back of the orifice i? will be the same for all open positions of the valve 3. Likewise when the handle 2| is moved from either high or medium position to low position, the orifice il will be correspondingly reduced by automatic and simultaneous adjustment of the needle v alve 8, but without any reduction in the pressure back of the orifice due to the fact that operation of the valve to increase or decreasethe inlet iiow of gas automatically regulates the size of outlet correspondingly. Thus the velocity at the outlet oriiiee will be automatically regulated in accordance with the size of the oriiice ii.

Thus I am enabled to obtainl multiple ow control With but a single outlet or orice, at which point alone the control of fiow and hence velocity is accomplished and without any reduction in the pressure between the inlett 2 and outlet The amount of flow is controlled by the height of the predetermined ofi-sets 2|, 22 and 23 of the cam ID which correspond respectively to the three positions of the valve il in regulation of the flow, namely high, low, and medium. There is a rise of tWenty-ve one-thousandths of an inch between low and high positions and from low to medium position a rise of about half that much. High elevation 2| also serves as the elevation for off position. The narrow spaces 26, 25 and 26 between the cam elevations constitute inclines to facilitate movement of the control member from one elevation to another.

The valve 3 can be rotatably operated in either direction and the cam il) is so constructed and arranged that the valve must always be turned from off position to either high or medium position, as will be seen from Figure 3, and can not be turned from off position directly to low position. In this way, the danger of the gas failing to be lighted is reduced to a minimum if not eliminated.

From Figure 2 it will be seen that except when the valve 3 is closed, there will be permitted a flow of gas through the Avalve structure becauseof the relatively large size Of the inlet 2 a5 00mpared with the two smaller closed portions between the ports of the valve member 3. Thus the gas will not be shut off while turning the valve between the high, low and medium positions, but the only time when the gas will be completely shut olf will be when the valve occupies oif" position.

It should be explained that although the pressure at the oriiice will build up somewhat when the needle valve is n restricted position, as compared with the pressure during fully open position, and thus the pressure isnot absolutely constant, yet it is considered to be substantially so.

With my device, there is obtained better air entrainment and consequently a better flame. Also, there is realized a saving in gas consumption because of the increased efliciency of the flame produced with my valve structure.

While my present improved valve structure is especially useful in a gas stove, yet it is to be understood that it is capable of more general use and the scope of the present invention is to be interpreted accordingly.

What I claim is: f

1. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethrough with inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable valve for said inlet opening, a tapered reciprocable valve for said outlet opening, said valves being co-axial and said outlet valve being reciprocably an'd non-rotatably coupled to said inlet valve, cam means in said housing co-operating with said outlet valve to produce reciprocating movement thereof as the valves are rotated, said valves having a plurality of rotary positions, said cam means providing an axial position of said outlet valve for predetermined ow in each of said positions, said inlet valve having a closed position and a plurality of substantially fully open positions, one for each of openings, a rotatable valve for said inlet opening, a tapered reciprocable valve for said outlet opening, said valves being co-axial and said outlet valve being reciprocably and non-rotatably coupled to said inlet valve, cam means in said housing co-operating with said outlet valve to produce reciprocating movement thereof as the valves are rotated, said valves having a plurality of rotary positions, said cam means providing an axial position of said outlet valve for predetermined ow inv each of said positions, said inlet valve having a closed position and a plurality of open positions, one for each of the operative positions of said outlet valve.

3. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethrough and valve means for controlling the flow through said passage, said valve means having a closed position and a plurality of open positions including a minimum flow position and a plurality of positions of greater fiow, rotatable actuating means for said valve means having positions corresponding to each of 'said valve positions, and being rotatable in either direction to move said valve means from any one to any other of said positions, the positions of said actuating means corresponding to said positions of greater fiow being arranged between the positions corresponding to closed position and minimum ow position when said actuating means is turned in either direction.

4. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethrough with inlet and outlet openings, separate valves for said openings, the

outlet valve having a plurality of positions providing a predetermined ow, the inlet valve having a closed position and a plurality of open positions, one for each of the operative positions of the outlet valve, operative means of connection between said valves whereby operation of the inlet valve will effect operation of the outlet valve for automatically and definitely eli'ecting the individual predetermined positions oi' the outlet valve, said operative means of connection including cam means having dwell portions each corresponding to a position of said outlet valve for predetermined flow in each of said positions, and

` means for operating said inlet Valve.

5. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethrough with inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable valve for said inlet opening, a reciprocable valve for said outlet valve fpening, said valves being co-axial and having operative means of connection whereby rotation of said inlet valve will automatically and definitely effect individual and predetermined positions of the outlet valve, said operative means of connection including offset cam means with dwell portions providing an axial position of said outlet valve for predetermined ow in each of said positions, said inlet .valve having a closed position and a plurality of substantially fully open positions,

one for each of the operative positions of the outlet valve, and means for operating said inlet 6. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethrough with inlet and outlet openings, separate valves for said openings, the

outlet valve having a plurality of positions each each of the outlet valve by such operation of the same,-

and means for operating the inlet valve. 7. A valve structure comprising a housing having a passage therethrough with inlet and outlet openings, separate valves for said openings, the outlet valve having a plurality of positions each providing a predetermined flow, a limited number of said positions being preselected, the inlet valve having a closed position and a plurality of open positions, including a plurality of contiguous positions for each of said preselected posivELMER G. s'rErFEN. 

